Wednesday, February 22, 2012

At a suggestion, I gave a one minute pitch for a storytelling program called The Moth Radio Hour.

The Moth has several live events celebrating storytelling. The radio program has won a Peabody Award, the highest honor in broadcasting.

There were a lot of stories I could have gone with, but I chose the story of me visiting Seattle back in October and witnessing would has come to be known as "The Pepper Spray Incident." This wild night featured Seattle Rain City Superhero Movement leader Phoenix Jones trying to disburse a street fight with some high octane pepper spray.

It was a complicated night to try to explain in 60 seconds, but I'm always up for a good challenge. I practiced different versions of telling the story and I'm pretty certain the first attempt sounding like this:

Friday, February 17, 2012

Thanatos is a RLSH from Vancouver (I've met him twice- for a Vancouver meet up during the 2010 Winter Olympics and again last year for HOPE 2011 in San Diego) who has announced the ambitious goal of raising $1600 for the Easter Seals charity.

The program he has entered allows fundraisers who meet their goal a chance to repel down the side of a 20 story building. You know, like a superhero...in real life.

Thanatos released this statement:

I am Thanatos, a Real Life Superhero here in the city of Vancouver. I help those who need help by doing handouts of needed food and supplies in the city's east end, and I am helping Easter Seals by participating in this event.

I'm asking everyone to be a real superhero this year and help support Easter Seals and the wonderful work they do by giving what you can.

I will be participating in the Easter Seals Drop Zone event (www.thedropzone.ca) on Tuesday, September 11 at 999 West Hastings Street in Vancouver. I will be repelling down a 20-story building and becoming a superhero for BC's children with disabilities.

I am asking for your support for a cause that is very important to me. Please help me attain the minimum fundraising goal of $1600.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

RLSHs on NCIS. "Spandexia," far left, is obviously based on Terrifica, while "Whipcord" far right, is based on Geist. The lady with a star shirt plays a NCIS forensics analyzer who happens to be a RLSH fangirl (and potential "cape chaser" I would imagine.)

NCIS joined the list of TV shows to feature an episode based on Real Life Super Heroes, a sort of art imitating life imitating art imitating...ah, you get the point. Previous portrayals have been featured on shows like Rookie Blue and Castle.

This episode featured several RLSH characters and contained several clues that the show's writer, Stephen D. Binder, must have done some digging around to find material for the story. Consider these points:

- One of the RLSH is found dead and a video similar to the "Pepper Spray Incident" (which I witnessed first hand, btw) with Seattle Rain City Superhero Movement founder Phoenix Jones surfaces.

- One of the characters tells a story (albeit an exaggerated one) about The Fox, an environmental activist, sometimes cited as a RLSH "early prototype."

-A website based off the World Superhero Registry, a defunct but often cited RLSH website.

- RLSH characters clearly based off actual RLSHs Terrifica ("Spandexia")of NYC and Geist ("Whipcord"), of Rochester, MN. Some of the characters contained various elements here and there of other RLSH, too. There was one that looked a lot like Motor-Mouth.

-The RLSH crew the detectives discover are participating in a "bait patrol," a somewhat controversial tactic some RLSHs have used.

Twin Peaks fans will note a guest appearance by Ray Wise, aka Leland Palmer, as the father of one of the RLSH (named "ICU").

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Purple Reign, wife of Phoenix Jones and Rain City Superhero Movement member launched a campaign yesterday to promote awareness about domestic violence.

The campaign, which lasts until April, has a variety of scheduled events to raise awareness and money for Northwest Family Life. That non-profit group is a counseling and learning center addresses the issue of domestic violence through advocacy, intervention, and prevention.

Money will be raised through soliciting donations, merchandise sales, and a Healing Reign Music Benefit & Auction in April. Personal survivor stories will be shared on the Purple Reign Campaign website and Phoenix Jones will judge a comic panel drawing contest on the theme "Everyday heroes against domestic abuse."

Facebook Badge

WELCOME TO HEROES IN THE NIGHT!

My name is Tea Krulos and I'm a freelance writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was introduced to the Real Life Super Hero(RLSH) story in late February, 2009. As a lifelong fan of comic books and unusual and unique people and subcultures, I was immediately hooked.

I was determined to find a local RLSH if there was one and found The Watchman, a man who dons a red rubber mask, suit, and trenchcoat and patrols the streets of Milwaukee. I had a long, fascinating interview with him in person one night and determined that the short magazine piece I had successfully pitched did not scratch the surface of the story and decided to write a book. After a few months I also established this blog- both the book and the blog are titled Heroes in the Night.

My book is based on extensive research, interviewing, and field work. I have traveled to meet RLSH in Minneapolis, Rochester (Minnesota), Brooklyn, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, San Diego, New Bedford (Massachusetts) , and Washington DC, as well as meeting regularly with the Milwaukee crew.

I have been quoted as an expert on the subject in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, People magazine, Seattle Weekly, Scientific American, io9.com, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and dozens of other newspapers, magazines, websites around the world. I've also made appearances on a dozen radio shows and have been filmed for three different RLSH documentaries.

I have written articles on the subject for Milwaukee magazine, the Boston Phoenix, New York Press, Forces of Geek, Riverwest Currents, and Delayed Gratification.

Heroes in the Night will be published in Fall 2013 by Chicago Review Press.